The Grange School, Christchurch

Ofsted's report card from its 28 April 2026 inspection grades The Grange School on 7 areas: 6 expected standard and 1 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils typically progress well through the curriculum at all key stages."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have an accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders identify and assess pupils' needs accurately."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders have an accurate understanding of the school's strengths and where they need to make improvements."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have designed an appropriate personal, social and health education curriculum, including relationships and sex education."

Post 16 provision - Expected standard. "Leaders have a good understanding of the quality and suitability of the post-16 provision."

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "Pupils' absence is consistently above the national average."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should reduce levels of absence and persistent absence so that pupils maximise their opportunities to learn and benefit from the school's wider opportunities"; "Leaders should ensure that teaching consistently checks pupils' knowledge and understanding and adapts to build on what pupils already know and can do"; "Leaders should ensure that the wider personal development programme has a consistently positive impact on all pupils, including those who face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing".

In 2026, pupils at The Grange School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 39.8, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 50.2 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole; and 47 across England.

33% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 56% in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole; and 47% in England.

That is up from 36.3 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.27: pupils made above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 33.9, against 43.2 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 9.3 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 20 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 73 families put The Grange School as their first choice and 196 named it as one of their preferences, for 74 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to The Grange School are Twynham School (1.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.4); Highcliffe School (1.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.1); St Peter's Catholic Comprehensive School (2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 49.2); and Avonbourne Boys' Academy (3.1 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 47.4).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than The Grange School.

The Grange School is one of 8 schools run by Twynham Learning, an academy trust.

Of the 76 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 80% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 54% to a further education college, 7% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

Of the 11 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 18% went on to university or other higher education, 18% to apprenticeships and 27% into work.

43.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 8.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 115 pupils (26.8%) received SEN support and 38 (8.9%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.

The nearest railway station is Christchurch Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.

8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Tensing Road (w-bound), 130 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Grange School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 120 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (223).

In 2024/25, The Grange School issued 228 suspensions, 48.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 5 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to The Grange School are Somerford Primary School (0.2 miles); Mudeford Community Infants' School (0.5 miles); St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Christchurch (0.5 miles); and Mudeford Junior School (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.